


Cherry Blossom Drops

by haku_jitsu



Category: Naruto
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 14:53:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16410575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haku_jitsu/pseuds/haku_jitsu
Summary: Sakura blinked back tears as Naruto gently laced his fingers with hers."You don't have to be strong all the time, you know," he murmured.





	Cherry Blossom Drops

"Dammit!" she shouted, slamming a fist into the table. Blood drenched her clothes and the smell of it drowned her senses. 

That smell was going to haunt her for months.

*

Tsunade's chin rested on top of her clasped hands, her eyes shut. Her chest heaved with a deep sigh, the only sound that had filled the room in what seemed like an eternity. 

Sakura stood motionlessly, trying her hardest to conceal the fact that she felt like her legs would give out at any moment now, trembling like jelly. She was biting into her bottom lip so hard she thought she'd bruise. 

Slowly, Tsunade's eyes slid open, their honey brown color shining down at her sympathetically. "Sakura," she began, almost hesitantly. "I appreciate your efforts, regardless of the final outcome." She paused, taking in a deep breath. "You can't save everyone. It's tough, but this type of thing happens."

"Lady Tsunade," Sakura murmured, her voice faltering and tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "All I want you to know is I tried my hardest. I tried. I tried like hell to get her to survive. I did everything you showed me --"

Tsunade raised a hand. "I believe you, Sakura. I would never assume otherwise of you. And for that, I thank you." She sighed, almost imperceptibly. "Please, send Shizune in as you leave. I will have her alert the genin's family."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade."

"Thank you, Sakura. You are dismissed. And please... _Please_ don't be so hard on yourself next time."

"... Yes, Lady Tsunade."

*

"And, y'know, I told the Pervy Sage about it, and he agreed with me! He thinks something fishy is going on there too!" Naruto rambled jovially, his mouth half-full of ramen. 

Sakura offered him a small smile but said nothing in response, taking a long drink of her oolong tea, the most she could muster after carrying such burdensome weight on her shoulders all day. She didn't know why, but she could always spare a smile for Naruto, after all.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto said, his voice wilting with concern. "Is everything okay? You've been so quiet this evening."

Sakura's eyes shifted towards him, widening slightly. She blinked. Perhaps Naruto was more observant than she typically gave him credit for. "Naruto... How is it you always--" she cut herself off with a self-conscious giggle. Her lips formed a small, insincere smile. "You've got so much on your plate already, Naruto, so many things to worry about. I shouldn't burden you with my own problems."

Naruto stared at her silently for a moment, his face unreadable. Suddenly, his blue eyes lit up as he reached into his pocket, pulling out his fat frog-shaped wallet. "Say, Sakura-chan, why don't we get out of here for a while? I think we could both use a walk or something."

Sakura gazed at him, surprised. "Huh? Are you sure? You've not even finished your ramen yet."

Naruto waved a dismissive hand. "I'll take it home on the way to the training grounds, duh," he said as he handed Ayame some money. "Put your jacket on. It's a bit cold out tonight."

Sakura couldn't figure out why her cheeks burned with a pink blush, watching Naruto's back as he began to exit the ramen shop.

*

The training grounds were deserted at this time of night. Winter was well on its way, the air becoming sharp and crisp with an icy chill. 

Sakura was surprised at just how little her pale pink jacket was doing to keep her warm. She tried to conceal how much she was shivering, but evidently it wasn't working.

"Cold?" Naruto said, looking back at her. 

"... A bit, maybe," she admitted, casting her eyes downwards.

"We could go back to the village, if you wanna."

"No, no. It's okay. I needed some time away anyway." She paused, images of that poor genin girl soaked in her own blood flashing through her head. "It... It's been a tough day."

Naruto's eyes softened, his mouth curving into a slight frown. "I thought so. Wanna talk about it?"

Sakura shook her head immediately. "I told you already, didn't I? I don't wanna burden you with my problems. Forget about it, really."

The feeling of fingers brushing her own startled her slightly, her eyes shifting upwards to find Naruto standing just inches in front of her, his hand softly touching hers.

"Sakura-chan," he said lowly, almost in a whisper. "You could never be a burden to me. You should know that by now."

"Naruto," she said, her voice betraying her surprise. 

"Did something happen today?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Did it have something to do with that genin squad that got sent out on their first mission the other day?"

Sakura's heart thumped hard and painful in her chest as she remembered the way the light drained from the genin girl's green eyes as the life slipped out of her. All because she couldn't save her. It was her fault... Her fault...

"You're right, Naruto," she admitted, voice cracking slightly. "One of the genin that went on that mission... She was barely breathing when the medics brought her in, covered in her own blood. So many of her organs were just cut straight through... Blood everywhere, coming from her mouth, her wounds, her nose... I-I tried to save her. Lady Tsunade thought it would be good practice for my medical jutsu, but I... I couldn't save her. I failed, Naruto. I failed." 

Sakura blinked back tears as Naruto gently laced his fingers with hers.

"You don't have to be strong all the time, you know," he murmured. "You did everything you could. You tried so hard, and kept her company and eased her pain in her last moments. You didn't fail. You did so much for her. I'm sure she was so grateful to have someone like you by her side."

Sakura couldn't help it. Tears leaked out of her eyes with abandon, choked sobs wracking her entire body. Instinctively, she spread her arms and threw them around Naruto in a tight hug, pressing herself as close to him as she possibly could. He wrapped his arms around her waist, snuggling his nose into her hair, breathing her in and sliding his eyes shut.

She cried into his chest for several seconds before becoming calm again, the occasional sniffle escaping from her. Naruto's warmth seemed to envelop her, completely easing all the tension she had been feeling since the start of this terrible day, when she woke up with a tight knot sitting in her gut, just knowing something would go wrong. She just couldn't believe _how wrong_ everything had gone.

Suddenly, realizing how close they were to one another, Sakura pulled away slightly, blinking. Naruto looked down at her, trying not to show his disappointment at the disappearance of her warmth.

"Are you feeling any better yet? I can keep trying until you do," he chuckled softly. 

She couldn't stop the smile that spread her lips as she turned her green eyes up to look at his face. Naruto's chest tightened at the sight of that smile. 

"Thank you, Naruto," she she gently. "I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes." 

"Funny," he answered, "because I don't know what I'd do without you all the time."


End file.
